Cup-assembling attachment for cup-forming machines



1 P. T. POTTS '17. 1921 2 Sheets$heet 1 CUP ASSEMBLING ATTACHMENT FOR CUP FORMING MACHINES Original Filed Jan.

May {20 May 20,1924. 4 1,4950% P. T. POTTS CUP ASSEMBLING ATTACHMENT FOR CUP FORMING MACHINES Original Filed Jan. 17 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TI i Patented ay 20, "1924.

PETER T. EOTTS, OF. CHICAGO, IIiLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE VORTEX MANUFACTUBING COL, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CUP-ASSEMBLING ATTACHMENT FOR CUP-FORMING MACHINES.

Application filed January 17, 1921, Serial No. 437,834. Renewed November 23, 1922.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER T. Form, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Cup-Assembling Attachment for Cup-Forming Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon,

which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved device for use with cup forming "machines or the like, wherein a cup of paper or some similar material is formed from a prepared blank upon dies or forms in the machine, and has for its object the provision of a receptacle to receive and assemble the finished cups made by such meansafter they have been discharged from the forming dies. In the form of the invention as herein disclosed, the receiving tube is adapted particularly for the reception and automatic stacking of conical paper cups or liners such as are commonly used in connection with conical metallic holders used for dispensing sodas and other like beverages. These conical cups are preferably formed of paraflin saturated paper blanks and are formed into shape, to correspond with the conical metallic holders, in a machine provided there for. After the cups have been formed they are automatically ejected from the machine and formerly were received and immediately assembled by an. extra operator in order to prevent them from accumulating in quantities which would be unmanageable.

One of the objects, therefore, of this invention is the provision of a receiving tube for such paper cups or other formed articles wherein they are automatically assembled as they are ejected from the machine.

Another object of the invention is the prothe invention is the provision of a receiving tube for cups or like receptacles which is adapted to be used in connection with a cup forming machine and which when filled may be readily removed and the finished cups taken therefrom in assembled position ready to be. packed or placed into a shipping container and at the same time may be conveniently replaced by a similar tube to immediately receive a further supply of cups.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a machine for forming conical paper cups with the improved receiving tube of the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a detail view of a portion of the front of the machine showing a part of the actuating mechanism for the receiving tube as applied thereto.

Figure 3 is a top view, partly in section, of the receiving tube and its accompanying mechanism, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the pulley or drum of the device together with its connec-td gear wheel and pawls.

Fiigure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 3.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates in a general way the cup forming machine to which the invention is applied, said machine being equipped with a pair of cup forming dies 12 and 14; upon which a conical paper cup is formed. The particular cup forming machine to which the invention is shown as applied forms no part of the present invention but is embodied in the app-lic'ants copending cases Serial Nos. 437,832 and 437,833, filed January 17th, 1921.

A bracket or extending arm 16 is fixed to the front part of the machine 10 and is adapted to hold in position a delivery chute 18, as shown in Figure 1, which receives the is provided a vertical slot 26 through which extends the arm of a movable support 28 adapted to slide in said slot. This movable support is provided with a bifurcated portion 29 extending inside the tube 24, as shown in Figure 5, and into which is adapted to be placed a removable member 30 provided for the purpose of holding the conical cups which are delivered into the tube 24 in an upright position. For this purpose the member 30 is shaped at its upper end in the form of an inverted cone especially on the interior thereof and which is thereby adapted to correspond with the shape of a conical cup 20. a

The movable support 28 is provided with a cylindrical bearing adapted to slide upon a vertically extending post or rod 32, which is positioned directly in the rear of the receiving tube- 24 and between the same and a further tube 34, which is likewise cylin drically shaped and adapted to slidably hold therein ,a piston or weight 36. A rope or cable 38 of suitable material is attached to the weight 36 and=is wound about a pulley or drum 40 which is fixed by a key 46 to the axle 47 rotatably'mounted in brackets 42 forming part of an extension 44 fixed to the top of the cylinder 36. rThe cable or rope 38 is wound several times about the pulley or drum 40, in order to prevent slipping of the samethereon and the other end of the cable is attached in. a suitable manner to the movable supporting member 28 which slides upon the post 32 and has its bifurcated arm 29' extending inside the slot 26 of the receiving tube 24. The member 28 is further provided with a projection 31 extending rearwardly and adapted to slid-' ably co-act with the exterior of the cylinder 34 in order to maintain the member 28 proper position on the rod 32.

' A toothed wheel or ratchet 48 is likewise mounted on the pin or axle 47 and is fixed thereto by a key similar to the key meacai 46 of the drum 40 so as to rotate therewith. The wheel 48 is provided with teeth 50 with which co-operate pawls 52 and 54. Pawl 54' is mounted on the bracket 42 by means pawl 62 mounted "between this bifurcated portion, as best shown in Figure 3. The bifurcated portion 62 of the lever is connected by means of pins or rivets 64 to a single lever 66 which extends rearwardly therefrom in the direction of the machine 10 and is pivotally connected at 68 with another pivoted lever 70 extending at a right angle thereto and mounted on a bracket 72 extending from the machine pro er. The lever 70 has one end pivoted at 4 to the bracket 72'and' its other end is pivotally connected at 76 to a link 78 which is likewise pivotally mounted upon the member 80 which is actuated by the machine for the .purpose of reciprocating a slidable portion 'of the feeding table which feeds the prepared blanks to the cup forming dies 12 and 14. p

The operation. is as follows:

In each reciprocation of the slide which forms part ofthe feeding table of the machine, the operation of which is fully described in the applications hereinbefore referred to, a blank for forming a "cup 20 is fed to the cup forming dies 12 and 14 and a finished cup is ejected therefrom by suitable means. This motion of the feed table slide is accomplished by movement of the member 80 .about its pivot point 82, and the link 78 is thereby actuated and its This vertical movement of the lever 70 is transmitted to the bifurcated lever 66, 62, on

account of its pivotal connection at 68 with the lever 70.

As the mot-ion of the link or lever 62 is likewise vertical and as the pawl 52 is fixed thereon and actuated by gravity to continually contact with the teeth 50 of the gear wheel 48, it follows that this wheel 48 is moved a predetermined distance each time the feed table slide of the machine 10 is reciprocated and every time a cup is ejected from between the dies, thereby moving the pulley or drum 40 about which the cable 38 is wrapped and allowing the supporting member 28 to drop downwardly a certain predetermined distance at each stroke of the links or levers 70 and 66. It follows that this motion of the drum 40 will operate to raise the weight 36 in the cylinder or tube 34, the downward motion of which is prevented by the action of the spring-controlled pawl 54.

Therefore, every time a cup is delivered into the tube 24 the movable support 28 will be sent downwardly a short distance corresponding to the additional height gainedwhen one of the cups is nested in another, such distance of travel being readily ascertained and easily regulated. After a sufficient number of cups have been transferred into the receiving tube 24 to fill the same, the entire tube 24 may he slid outwardly away from the machine on account of the open bifurcated end 29 of the support 28 and a similar tube having another holder 30 therein may be inserted in position, its particular relation to the machine being readily ascertained by means of the semi-circular stop provided for its proper positioning.

It will be seen that herein is provided a device which receives and automatically stacks paper cups or receptacles which 0bviously may be of any particular form adapted to nest one within the other and holds these receptacles in such nested position in a receiving tube therefor which can be removed from its proximity to the machine andreadily replaced by a similar receiving tube when filled. Afterwards this receiving tube may be emptied of its contents and the sametransferred to a carton or similar device for shipping the assembled nested cups.

This invention provides a neat and ready method of assembling the finished cups as they are delivered from the forming machine and holding same in such assembled nested relation conveniently for transfer to a carton for shipment. Furthermore, by the use of this device the necessity of having anextra helper on each machine for the purpose of assembling and gathering up the cups as they are delivered therefrom is avoided and the expense of such labor is practically eliminated.

I am aware that numerous details of construction and operation may be varied through a Wide range without departin from the principles of this invention, an

I therefore do not purpose limiting the pat-' ent granted otherwise than necessitated by theprior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a cup forming machine, of counterweighted means connected to be actuated by the machine and adapted to receive a cup and automatically lower the same through predetermined distances.

2. The combination with a cup forming machine, of means having a movable member therein, and a holder on said member within said means adapted to receive and automatically assemble cups as they are de livered from the machine.

3, The combination with an automatic cup forming machine, of dies thereon for forming cups, a receptacle for receiving the completed cups, delivery means leading from the cup forming dies to said receptacle, and means in the receptacle operable from the machine for stacking and lowering the completed cups within the receptacle.

4. The combination-with a cup forming machine, of a slotted receptacle adjacent the machine, a cup holder therein for receiving and stacking completed cups, and a support operable by the machine projecting into the slotted receptacle to support said holder, said receptacle and holder being adapted to be readily withdrawn away from said support when the receptacle is filled.-

5. The combination with a cup forming machine, of a receptacle positioned adjacent the machine having a slot therein, a guide rod, a support slidably engaged thereon and projecting into the receptacle through said slot, a cup holder removably engaged on said support within said receptacle to receive and stack completed cups from the machine, a guide tube positioned adjacent said rod. a projection on said support adapted to slidably engage the exterior of said guide tube, a shaft rotatably supported on said guide tube, a drum and a toothed wheel secured on said shaft, a cable engaged around said drum having one end connected to the support, a weight in said guide tube to which the other end of said cable is connected, pawls coacting with said toothed wheel, and a mechanism connected to be actuated by the machine and supporting one of said pawls whereby the toothed wheel and said drum are adapted to be rotated a predetermined amount each time a cup is deposited into said holder to cause lowering of the holder'within' the receptacle.

6. The combination with with a cup forming machine, of a rod adjacent thereto, a cup receiving device slidably engaged on said rod, a pawl operated mechanism con-' nected with said cup receiving device, and means operable from the machine for actuating said mechanism to cause move ment of the cup receiving device on said rod each time a cup is deposited onto the device.

7. The combination with a receiving tube having a slot therein, of a movable article receiving support adapted to operate within said slot, and actuating means for moving said support downwardly a predetermined distance after the delivery of an article into the tube.

8. The combination with a receiving tube having a slot thereinyof a movable article receiving support adapted to operate within said slot, and actuating means for moving said support downwardly a predetermined distance after the delivery of an article into the tube, said actuating means including a drum, a cable therearound, attached at one end to the movable su port and having a counterweight fixed to 1ts other end, and a gear wheel having pawls co-operating therewith adapted to rotate said drum.

9. The combination with a slotted tube, of

a movable article receiving support adapted to operate within said slot, and actuating means for moving said support downwardly a predetermined distance after the delivery of an article into the tube, said actuating means including a drum, a cable themaround, attached at one end to the movable support and having a counterweight fixed to its other'end,.and a gear wheel having pawls co-operating therewith adapted to rotate said drum, the actuating pawl for the gear wheel being fixed to a link, the end of which is vertically reciprocated by means of the reciprocating motion of the blank feeding table of the cup forming machine.

10. The combination with a receptacle for formed articles, of an article support therein, counterweighted means connected therewith, and means for operating the same for automatically lowering said support a predetermined distance each time an article is received by said article support.

11. The combination with a cup forming machine, of a cup receiving and stackin mechanism mounted adjacent thereto, an a pawl actuated mechanism connected to be operated by the machine to cause movement of sai cup receiving and stacking mechanism each time a cup is delivered thereto.

.12. In combination with an apparatus for receiving and automatically assembling formed articles, a receiving tube having a vertical. slot therein, a member adapted to project throu h said slot, supporting means for the artic es adapted to be positioned upon said member in the tube, and automatic means for moving said member and the supporting means to a new receiving position after each delivery of an article thereto.

13. The combination with a cup forming machine, of a reciprocating blank feed table operated from the machine, and a counterweighted cup stacking mechanism operated by said reclprocatfng blank feed table to automatically stack completed cups as they are delivered from the machine. K

14. The combination with a cup forming machine, forming dies thereon for forming cups from blanks, a cup receiving tube adjacent the machine for receiving the cups, a blank feed operating mechanism operated by the machine, and a movable cup receiver in said tube adapted to be operated by said blank feed operatingmechanism to receive and assemble the cups as they are delivered into said tube.

15. The combination with a cup assembling device, of a slidable bracket, a cup holder removably engaged thereon, and

eat er bracket projecting therein, an article holder supported thereon. within the receptacle, and means connected with the bracket for automatically moving said bracket and holder a predetermined distance each time an article is received by said holder, said slotted receptacle adapted, when filled, to be removed from said bracket.

17. The combination with a cup forming machine, of a guide rod, cup assembling means slidably engaged on said rod, and a slotted cup receptacle adapted to be removably engaged in position to permit the cup assembling means to be moved therethrough.

18. The combination with a cup forming machine, of a vertical guide rod adjacent thereto, cup assembling means mounted thereon, and means operated from the machine for gradually lowering the cup assembling means on said rod.

19. Thecombination' with a cup formin machine, of on receiving means operated from the machine and adapted to move a predetermined distance each time a cup is delivered thereto.

20. The combination with a cup forming machine, of a member actuated thereby, a pivoted lever, a ,link pivotally connected to said lever and to said member, a second lever connected to said pivoted lever, a pawl engaged on said second lever, a cup receiving mechanism, and toothed means adapted to be operated by said pawl to move said cup receiving mechanism each time 'a cup is delivered thereto.

21. The combination with a cup forming machine, of a cup receiving and assembling mechanism connected to the machine, and a pawl and ratchet device operated by the machine for operating the cup receiving and assembling mechanism.

22. The combination with a cup forming machine, of a ulley, a cable engaged therearound, a weight attached to one end of said cable, a cup assembling device connected to the other end of said cable, and means actuated by the machine to cause 0 eration of the pulley and cable to move t e cup assembling device each time a cup is delivered thereto from the machine.

23. The combination with a cup forming machine, of a cup assembling attachment therefor, and a cup blank feed mechnism operated by the machine for actuating said cup assembling attachment.

24. In a cup forming machine, the combination with cup forming means, of a reciprocating table for feeding blanks to said forming means to be formed into cups, and

mechanisms operable by said reciprocating table for automatically stacking the formed In testimony whereof I have hereunto cups. subscribed my name in the presence of two 25. The combination with a machine for subscribingyitnesses. forming reinforced receptacles, of receptacle Y PETER T. POTTS. 5 discharging means operated from the ma- Witnesses:

chine, and an automatic receptacle stacking FRANK C. SMITH, attachment also operated from the machine. HORACE A. GRIGNON. 

